Philly

Yesterday: 3mi on the crappy basement treadmill.

Today: briefly back in Philly before shipping out to POPL in San Francisco. Strawberry Mansion loop (home -> Pottruck), which is evidently 10.5mi. Then lifted upper body.

More from BMore

Chrisssssmas!: 4mi Inner Harbor loop.

Boxing Day: DNR

Dec 27: 4.5mi at Tita's swanky gym, full leg circuit, ran home (another 2.5)

Dec 28: Just under 8mi on the NCRT from Monkton.

Baltimore Holiday

Friday: DNR

Saturday: 52min run in Robert E Lee Park

Sunday Morning: 4mi run around Dru Hill Reservoir, fast.

Sunday Night: 8mi run (shown) behind Zoo, through Hampden with Clare.

Monday: 55min run down towards Fort.

Columbia Bridge

Ran this 8mi loop in just a few ticks over an hour. It was an ideal day for running: sunny, breezy, mid 40s. Kicked it up a little for the two of the measured miles down W River Dr--those two miles 6:50 and 6:40--and otherwise ran at a very comfortable pace.

Strawberry Mansion

Last run with Blitzer of '07. Strawberry mansion loop, "conversational" pace, around 10 miles, about 1h20m.

It's cold yo.

More specifically, my room is cold. I hate using the extra electricity to power my space heater, so I throw on fleecy pants, a heavy sweatshirt, and big rag socks. But then I get changed to run and I'm already chilled. Mainlining tea is the only solution.

Ran Sweetbriar loop to Pottruck (via Mantua), then 2mi on the 'mill. So 7 miles total?

Weekend

My last sprint to the finish was camera-ready for PLAN-X. It knocked me out pretty bad. I snuck to Pottruck and ran 3mi on the treadmill on Friday in an effort to get some energy for one last read-through, but wasn't feeling it.

In Baltimore this weekend I slept something like 32hrs: 10 on Friday night, 3hr nap on Saturday, another 11hrs on Saturday, another 4hr nap on Sunday evening, and 5hrs last night. I guess I was tired. Ran 4mi (Dru Hill loop) on Sunday night and 4mi at Pottruck in Philly this morning and another 4mi this evening.

Pottruck

The numbers: 2mi warmup (very easy, with strides at the end of every .5mi) in 14:3x; 5x800m at 9.4-10mph with 1min walk, 1.5min jog to recover; 5min cooldown = 49 minutes total, 6.3mi. 15min easy bike cooldown.

Depicted

First, the running: 6.8mi on the Sweetbriar / Girard / Lemon Hill Loop from Pottruck, back via 22nd St to Walnut. 20min on the bike to cool down. Second, the photos (clockwise from top left): new running gadget ($28 at REI outlet; couldn't pass it up at that price!), Philly finish photo, map of tonight's run, salty/goose poo-y tights from last week.

Bookends

Morning: 4mi easy run to Lloyd Hall and back. 4mi

Evening: 3mi on treadmill, first half easy, second half progression up to 6:30 pace. Total 21:1x. Full leg lifting circuit.

Wet one

Ran a cold, wet Sweetbriar loop from Pottruck; back via Mantua. 5mi total. Then did 2mi fast (13:2x) on the 'mill.

Weekend

Saturday: something close to 11mi, "hilly" (for Philly) run through W Fairmount Park. Home to Kimmel (where I got the *last* ticket for Hélène Grimaud!)

Sunday: 5mi on Pottruck 'mill.

Happy Hour

I used to joke to Cara2 about "My Happy Hour" on Fridays: i.e., while everyone else boozes up, I'm be out running or biking. I put on the ColdGear and had a nice Happy 53 minutes out to the Columbia Bridge and back = 7 1/4 miles.

Slow beast

Somehow, I have been a publishing like a beast. POPL, PADL, PLAN-X, IEEE DEBull in the last few months, and PODS submitted late last night. The running has suffered this week due to the sprint to the latest deadline, but I suppose that's OK. No racing until spring anyways, so the New Plan can wait a few days.

Today: 4mi on the 'mill in 28 sumpin-sumpin. 5min bike cooldown.

I really really want to run outside tomorrow AM.

Chug chug

PODS almost done. Snuck in another 3mi at Pottruck. Looking forward to a longer run on Thursday.

Monday

Still cranking on PODS.

Snuck to Pottruck for 4.5 on the 'mill.

Weekend

Thursday: Pigs won in semis, then lost in the finals 2-1 :(. Jerky refs missed a HUGE call in game 3. Boo.

Friday: Down at UMd and DNR.

Saturday: Did 5-6mi in the Wissahickon with KT.

Sunday: 40min on the treadmill (=5.6x mi), 20min on stepper.

Back in writing mode: the PODS deadline is Wednesday.

Pottruck

Day #2 of the new plan.

Treadmill: 2mi warmup with a few pick-me-ups to get the pace going. Then 3x1mi repeats in 6:18, 6:15, 6:12 with 2:30 walking / jogging between reps. I am not sure I believe those numbers (miscalibrated machine), but I was working hard. Maybe it was all the sugar I consumed in the afternoon.

Stepper: just a cooldown from running.

Weights: Full leg lifting circuit.

Jump: three quick sets with the rope.

New Plan

Treadmill: 2mi easy warmup, stretch, 2mi in 13:20, .5mi cooldown.

Stepper: 20min.

Jump train: 3 of the ancient volleyball circuits.

VB: Pigs win! (IM quarter-finals.)

Catch up

Saturday: went to swanky MAC gym with Ahmad down near the INNER HARBOR. Ran 3mi on the treadmill, a little stepper, then full leg lifting circuit.

Sunday: Ran the 8-9mi loop through the zoo, down to the Avenue, around JHU, and back down Charles to North.

Monday: biked Hunt Valley to Wilmington = about 75mi with a detour near Newark.

Monday evening (yes, not sane): ran 1.5mi to warmup, then JeRM circuits.

Holiday

Thursday: nothin' but a short walk at Robert E Lee park.

Friday: biked to Monkton = 30 miles.

Week 0

Tuesday: Ran 3mi, easy, on the treadmill at Pottruck and then did full JeRM circuits. The recovery run is a beautiful thing.

Wednesday: Biked to Baltimore, kinda. The full thing would be close to a century, with about 30-40 miles through urban sprawl. I don't like urban sprawl, and biking 100mi a few days after running a marathon is probably stupid. So I took SEPTA to Newark, DE and then biked to the Baltimore light rail stop at Timonium. That turned out to be exactly 60 miles, and was about all my legs could handle. I'm not sure I could have handled any more hills.

Last week.

Can't remember everything...

Tuesday: 4mi?

Wednesday: 4mi again, with 3x800m?

Thursday: 2mi + IM VB game

Friday: rest

Saturday: GAPSA VB tournament with Pigs (won!)

Sunday: 13.1mi with Blitzer and ~15,000 strangers through CC, W Fairmount Park, ending back to the Art Museum in 1:45:00 even. Followed immediately by 13.1mi with ~6,000 strangers out Kelly Dr to Manayunk and back in 1:49:45. Total: 26.2 in 3:34:45.

Monday: biked 30 min at Pottruck.

Race week!

Pair of workouts on Sunday and Monday, both felt easy: a ~12mi East Falls Loop from/to Pottruck in 1:27, and an untimed 6mi+ easy out-and-back from home to a little past Sweetbriar.

I don't feel like I'm peaking in the same way that one does after a good, hard training cycle and a taper, but my body is not hurting either. Sunday will be interesting.

Taaaapeeerrring

Sucks! Well, this one isn't so bad. My peak distance on this multiple marathon plan was that 17 miler last week, so there ain't much to taper off from. But still trying to avoid bottoming out.

Thursday: easy 4. Starting to feel a chest cold come on, uh oh.

Friday: absolutely zonked. Came home and napped until beer o'clock. DNR.

Saturday: 1hr on the Montgomery Loop, cut short with a trip to TJ's. Looks like that's about 8mi on the nose.

Treadmill / Columbia Bridge

Warmed up for 2mi on the treadmill, then did 7.5mi run out to Columbia Bridge and back. Then JeRM circuit. Total: 9.5mi in 1h8m??s. Am good and tired now.

Trifecta

Morning: 1hr spin out pleasantly lost in W Fairmount Park hills and beyond. Stumbled on Ford Rd eventually, came across Strawberry Mansion, and home by Kelly Dr.

Early Evening: Pigs VB game.

Later Evening: Loop up river path to Lloyd Hall, back around Art Museum and down 22nd in 27.1x (is that possible? I think that's 4mi. Must be a little short.)

Pottruck

Ran 4mi on the treadmill, then full JeRM circuit.

Back in tha Illadelph

Friday: something more than 3mi before dark. pushed the pace a bit.

Saturday: spent the morning closing up Haverhill and the evening driving Lola down. DNR.

Sunday: East Falls Loop, a bit faster than usual: 41m to the bridge, then did a tad faster than 7:15 pace back to the Art Museum where the clock was at 1h12m. Took it easy from the Parkway back to 22nd & South for 1h23m total. I'm not sure if I should have run longer. Having just done 17 on Wednesday, I didn't want to get an overuse injury, and after not running much the last few days, pushing the pace was what I felt like doing. Hmm. Just not going to question it. It was a fun run.

Got out too late to run with Blitzer and Pavol, but saw Pavol running CCW (I usually do the Loop CW--like to get through the W River Dr part first) on the little hill going up to the bridge.

The Railyard

In which Nate pays entirely too much for a day pass to a gym with ca. 1970s equipment.

Was feeling creaky after Wednesdays long run so wanted to do something to let my legs recover. Drove up to Woodsville and ran across the river to Wells River, then down Rt 5 to the Round Barn. 18m30s out, 17m50s back for 5.25mi total. Then biked 20 minutes at the gym and did a full JeRM circuit.

Am feeling slightly better about the week. I can still get above 50 with a Piermont River Rd tempo run today, and an hour or so tomorrow.

Loop > Out-and-back

Yesterday: barely worth writing about. I may have broken 2.5mi, but I kind of doubt it. Was detained at the doctor's office with Lola and didn't have much daylight. And just didn't feel like running long. I did run "fast" after the turnaround at least.

Today: Was determined to do a real workout. My plan was to run down Rt 10 to Orford, and then back up Rt 10 to Haverhill. But around the Round Barn (3mi) I decided this was boring. So when I got to Piermont (5mi), I turned right and went across to VT, through Bradford, up to Newbury, back across the bridge to NH, then south to Haverhill Corner. Looping is much better than doing an out-and-back, and this was a particular nice loop. I got to see the Connecticut River twice, saw some Alpenglow on the White Mountains at sunset, and got to see spectacular oranges and pinks from the NH side as it sank behind the Green Mountains. It was a little shorter than what I planned (17 vs. 20) but a good run all the same.

Back on it

Saturday: woke up at 6.30 to run, but was so tired I took about 50 steps to the end of the block, turned around, and came back. Then was stuck with 2hrs+ until my train left, so laid my head down on the pillow and ... woke up 3hrs later. Had to scramble SEPTA, Southwest, rental car, and finally arrived in Haverhill around 7pm. DNR.

Sunday: frittered away the whole day doing chores around the house and family stuff. Was about to head out around 5pm for the Piermont 10 miler, when we had to rush Lola into the ER. She was showing signs of internal bleeding and we didn't want to take any chances. Got back around 9pm so DNR.

Today: made it a priority to get out first thing. Did the depicted route down to Piermont, out to River Rd, and back up to Rt 10. 11 miles. Tomorrow I shall try to for Orford.

Still beat

Pulled a near all-nighter to get some writing done last night and, as a result, felt crappy all day. It's raining, hard, so I headed to Pottruck after sending the thing off around 6pm and ran 3mi. Was going to pack it in, but then remembered that I still owed myself some fast running. Could only muster two more miles in 6:29 and 6:25.

Have packed my cold running gear and am headed to NH on the first train tomorrow.

Beat

Had an IM game with Pigs and was going to try to do my speedwork, but got through the second 800, just wasn't feeling it, and packed it in. I've been staying in Van Pelt until 2 or 3 for the past few nights in a row and I think this bouncing from deadline to deadline has worn me out. I'll do my reps tomorrow.

Combo run

Did an old winter trick: 3mi to get warm on the treadmill in 21-ish, then 4.5mi outside in a little more than 30min. It was an awesome night to be outside: drizzly, cold, and windy. Finished by biking for 15min to cool down.

Couple'a Workouts

Monday: I wasn't sure how I'd feel after my first long run since Chicago but I hopped on the treadmill and wanted to keep hitting ^. I think I may have had a mis-calibrated one because I did 3mi in 20:2x. From a cold start. At 8mph. Hmm. Then did a mile at 7:15 pace (maybe) to cool down and biked 20 minutes.

Tuesday: Blitzer and I did the W Fairmount Park -> Strawberry Mansion 9.9mi mini-loop. I was really looking forward to this run but I ate too much cheese at Distinguished Colloquium and developed major cramps about 3mi in. Stopped at a port-a-potty just after the Columbia Bridge, which fixed the cramping. Then 20 minutes cool down back at Pottruck.

Another Sunday run with Blitzer. Ran against the tide of the Philly Aids Walk to the East Falls bridge. Then he turned back to CC and I continued into the Wissahickon, just to the start of Forbidden Dr. Back by Kelly Dr. About 15.5mi total.

Saturday

Thornton Manor -> Columbia Bridge -> Belmont -> N Concourse -> Girard Bridge -> Lemon Hill -> 22nd St -> Omega. I thought this was a 7 miler, but evidently it's 8.5 miles. And hills!

Work Week

The week:

• Monday: 4mi on the treadmill + bike.
• Tuesday: Ran Thornton Manor -> Girard St Bridge -> Trader Joe's = more than 4, less than 5.
• Wednesday: Ran W Fairmount Park -> Strawberry Mansion -> Pottruck = just under 10mi.
• Thursday: 3mi warmup in 21:1x. 3x1mi in 6m30s, 6m25s, 6m22s. Biked 20 min.
• Friday: 3mi run in 21:05, short elliptical cooldown, lifted upper body.

Back to the Loop

Ran with Pavol and Blitzer this morning. We all started out from the Chestnut Bridge. They had to get back early, so turned around at Strawberry Mansion. I continued up to the Ridge Ave, then came back by W River Drive. About 1h40m all told, easy pace.

Ramping up...

Friday: did an easy 4mi up to the Art Museum and back. Just stretching legs out...

Saturday: out to Sweetbriar, across on Girard, down Lemon Hill, and back around PMA to 20th. I didn't know how far this was, so GMap'd it. The answer? A little more than 6mi.

Back on it

A trio of Pottruck workouts during recovery week.

Tuesday: 30min bike, lift upper body.

Wednesday: easy 3mi run.

Thursday: 5mi total (1.5mi warmup, 3mi fast, .5mi cooldown)

Exposed (not-actually-so-long Chicago Marathon LBRR)

So yeah, the Chicago Marathon was ... OK. As you've probably read in the papers, race day conditions could not have been worse: temperatures were in the low 90s and very humid. Several hundred runners were admitted to hospital and one died. The race was called around 11.30am and only about 24k out of 46k registered finished. I did manage to finish, and was safe (though it took me 3-4hrs, a cold Jama Juice, and a cool shower to feel normal again), but nowhere near my goal time (goal = 3h20m, actual = 3h49m).

The thing is, while I'd like to blame the weather, and it was certainly a factor, I think the real culprit was my training. I didn't do enough long runs, and they weren't long and slow enough (longest was 2h40m). Next time I will do them based on time, not distance. I went out too fast (again), weaving through the crowd with a really nice guy Mark, but paid big time at the end. We stupidly did 7m30s miles, moving up from a slow start behind the 4hr pace group to the 3h20s. Things were good until around miles 19 when the wheels came off and I totally blew up. I overheated, my knee acted up, and the miles turned in to 8 minute miles, then 9, then 10. Managed to run the last two after getting a pick-me-up from a nice girl ("yeah buddy") but did not kick at the end. Yuck yuck yuck. The next one will be better.

Shout outs to Dr. Cipriano and to the Kopinski boys for coming out and cheer, and for the good company post-race.

The bird is in the nest...

...and so on. Last training run last night: easy 3.5mi or so up to the Kraft labs on Broadway. Few days of rice w/ bagels, cereal, yogurt, and rice now!

Tapers

A couple of 3mi runs. One down to Lyndhurst last night (OK, maybe that's 4). Then tonight: 10mi warmup down to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetary, back up to the high school. Then 4x400 in 85, 83, 82, 79. Then a 6min cooldown to CTown. Last run tomorrow + loading up begins!

Weekend

Itching to run long, of course, but sticking to the taper plan.

Saturday: 3-4 easy miles on the OCA North.

Sunday: 8mi on Rt 9: down to Dobbs Ferry and back.

End of week

Yesterday was 4mi in 28 something.

Today should have been a rest day, but I was feeling antsy... and ansty I was: 3mi in 19:53. Then some elliptical to cool down.

Tapering off...

Tuesday: 6mi, fast.

Wednesday: 4mi progression run, lifted upper body.

A Weekend in Charm City

Friday: snuck in a cheeky 3 @ NYSC before catching train to Baltimore.

Saturday: was really, really tight. Did the start of the trail loop up behind the zoo, but was really struggling so turned around and finished around the Dru Hill reservoir. Maybe 5mi, maybe.

Sunday: 12mi along NCRT @ Gunpowder Falls SP. 45min out on the nose, 43min on the return. Felt strong, wanted to do more (tapering = sucky).

Monday: 5mi @ NYSC, full leg lifting circuit.

Evening Speed

Did my "speedwork", tho' on the 'mill: 2mi warmup in 14:30, then 8x800s at 9.5-9.9. Absolutely knackered now.

On biking...

I took the longer (10mi) route to work this morning. I wish I could spare the time to do it every day. The weather is so fantastic right now--crisp and autumny (although it's supposed to hit 80 again today)--and it's nice to get off the busy roads.

Just out of curiosity, I plotted the profile of the first hill on my normal climb out of Tarrytown. It's short, but kind of steep (about 8% average grade for the first mile; the steep bits are 15%+!)

Main St Irvington

Wanted to keep today easy. Came home straight after work to try to catch the end of the sun, and set out over the Tappan Zee ramp to the OCA South. Turned onto the trail at Lyndhurst (and clicked on my headlamp--it was dark already), and followed the dirt to Irvington Main St. At Irvington, I looped back and returned on Broadway. Picked it up a bit on the way home, and really picked it up for the last .5 mile. 24min out, 20.5min in for just under 45min total.

NYSC 8

Ran 8mi @ NYSC Hawthorne. Started at 7:30 pace, and went slowly up the ladder to 6:44 during the first 6. Kicked it up for the last two miles and finished in 57min = 7:07 pace. Jogged an easy .5mi cooldown. The shoes? Still awesome.

NYSC

A weird workout at NYSC. Was going to do 8, but it was clear after a few minutes that my legs weren't up for that. So I shortened to 3mi warmup in 22 even, then 3x1mi at 6:40, 6:30, and 6:20 with ~1min recovery between... enough to break a sweat. Then lifted upper body.

(The shoes are still awesome.)

Birthday Weekend

Had a fabulous birthday weekend in Tarrytown.

Friday night DNR: wanted to take a rest day with the weekend I had planned, and was throwing a dinner party for John, Bill+Jeri, and Katie.

Saturday: Long run down to The Bronx. New shoes are awesome! I think it was 17-18mi, and except for some annoying heartburn in the first 5mi, I wasn't even tired until 2hrs in. Discovered The Right Way through Yonkers, and the Old Put trail. Great stuff.

Sunday: woke up early and did the Golden Apple ride with the Westchester Cycling Club. Total mileage for the day was 94: 19 getting to/from White Plains to catch the other arm of MetroNorth, and 75mi on the ride.

Now, as per usual, tea, radio, and refueling.

Did I mention the new shoes are awesome?

Well shit dogg...

I was supposed to meet Pete and Marianne for dinner + pesoi, so did a quick workout at NYSC Hawthorne instead of going outside (which would have been fantastic on this crisp fall day). I was even stiffer today, so did a nice long (3mi) warmup in 22 flat, then 5x800s at around 3:15 pace, then a quick upper body. Was ready to bike down to Dobbs, but Pete's car crapped out on I-287, so he had to cancel! Shit indeed.

ps. Beeauuteeeful new orange and black 2120s arrived today!! They are noticably lighter than previous models, and supposedly stiffer. I loved the 2100s I owned, and the 2110s have always seemed squishy to me. Hoping these are like that first pair.

NYSC, Irvington

Monday: did 4mi on treadmill at NYSC + upper body circuit.

Tuesday: 7mi on treadmill (50:1x) + legs circuit.


Wednesday: exceedingly stiff (especially with my new longer ride to work); evening run to Irvington on the OCA with (depicted) torch).

T-minus 4 weeks

Finally getting my butt in gear, just in time to ... taper. Hrm. This race will be interesting.

Monday: had C drop me at Cook County and ran back to her place via UIC and Halsted. A nice 5-6mi recovery run.

Tuesday: zonked from the early AM flight back to NYC; worked late and got home after dark. Took my headlamp and ran to Lyndhurst, which I think is around 3.5mi at a pretty good pace, but still a bit shorter than I would have liked.

Wednesday: can't remember. I think I did 5mi at NYSC?

Thursday: also at NYSC. 4 or 5mi.

Friday: same 3mi out-and-back as on Tuesday.

Saturday: OCA to Rockefeller State Preserve. Got lost, so have no idea which trails I was on, but the run was about 50min, so hopefully 6-7mi.

Sunday: ran OCA south from Tarrytown to the Bronx. By my watch, and this crude map, around 16mi.

Debrief: well, I didn't break 50mi this week. Honestly didn't have the time to get in any quality workouts during the week and some weeks will be like that. On the other hand, the long run was easy this week (at least, compared to last week's bonk.)

Another big catch up

Let's see... I can't actually remember all the way back to this last post. I think I did 7mi on one day, and one day of speedwork (something like 2mi warmup, 6x800s @ 3.15ish, 1mi cooldown). I ran every other day that week, but none were remarkable. Weekend was Colin's wedding and DNR either day, although was in Boston near first love (the Charles) and would have been great to say hello to her (her? are rivers feminine?)

Last week was a blur. 5mi on Monday, 5 more on Tuesday, I think I did 8 on Wednesday, 4 on Thursday, and only had time to sneak in 2 on Friday before rushing off to JFK. Friday in ChicagoLand did the SurfHaus <-> Bean Loop, Saturday did 5-6ish down to Oak St Beach, and today did a 2h20m long run. Not exactly sure of the distance--I bonked in the Loop on the way home so didn't finish what I'd planned. But I think 17 or so?

And now, enjoying a breezy Sunday evening in the SurfHaus with SymphonyCast, chicken/portobello/marsala thingee, Tita's fabulous squash salad, good tea, and some rest. What's missing is C: she is covering nights this month ...and also Sundays, and so is at the hospital all night.

Monday

Did a study for Iqbal that involved me wearing a few monitors while running for 10 minutes on a treadmill. Started slow, but decided to crank it up to break a sweat for 1.41mi.

Then went to NYSC and did 5mi more in 35:20.

Weekend

Friday: did 3mi to stretch my legs at NYSC

Saturday: 4mi in Philly!

Sunday: 14-15mi in Philly; East Falls Loop with extension into the Wissahickon.

Big Catchup

I haven't felt like blogging in a while... but I have been running. At this temporal distance, I can't remember the details of every day, but it should go something like this:

Present minus 3 weeks: was doing NYSC workouts during the week. C flew out to White Plains and we drove down to Philly to take care of some shit. Took a rest day on Saturday and then did the East Falls loop on Sunday.

Present minus 2 weeks: did two-a-day NYSC workouts during the week for 7-10 miles / day, although split into a morning 3 and an evening whatever. Did 6x800s on Thursday. Drove up to NH for the weekend and did a 10mi out-and-back down to where Rt 10 hits 25C. Then did 6mi from the VT side across at Newbury(burgh?) bridge and down to the common.

Present minus 1 week: ran outside during the week including a few longer runs north towards Ossining and south to Dobbs. Went to Chicago on the weekend and did the run from SurfHaus down to the bean, about 9mi. Rested the other day.

Present week: have been doing 5-8mi runs on the OCA, strictly north. Ran 10mi at NYSC today.

So I've been doing 40-50 miles a week, but my long runs are not long. I am worried. My race is less than two months away and I have not run more than 15mi in longer than I can remember. I need to ramp up, but the next two weekends are busy with weddings. I will try to squeeze them in. Really there is no excuse. The biking has made it harder to recover, but my body should be used to it. The traveling has been exhausting, but I should deal with it and insist on more sleep. I am not worried about finishing the damn thing, but it could be ugly. And my time goals are out the window. Let's hope for an improvement on number one.

Tues, Weds

Went to NYSC both days. A mirror workout of Monday's 5mi yesterday, then 7mi today in 51min (30min easy, then iFartlek for the last 3mi). Had a nice spindown on the way home: 9a to 117, to 448 down into Sleepy Hollow. Saw a few other bikers around Blue Hill Farm.

C is coming to town this weekend, so I need to try to get my 16 in tomorrow. Dreading it a little...

NYSC Hawthorne

I bought a student membership to a swanky gym, NYSC. At first the guy was going to make me buy a full membership (at $80/mo) but when I balked and said that I'd seen the summer offer on the website, he said "OK, I'll pretend you're 22" and gave me the cheaper membership.

Ran 5mi in 36:1x on a good ol' LifeFitness 95-series treadmill.

Catchup

It's been a long couple of weeks. The last push to get the POPL paper out took all of my energy last weekend and I biked on Friday (Loop), but then did nothing until Tuesday.

In between, I moved to Tarrytown, so that run was on the OCA Trail. I didn't map my runs yet, so they're almost not worth blogging. But I think I did 3 x 5-6mi runs on the OCA last week, plus a number of bike rides: from HPN to TTown, over to White Plains, down to Manhattan.

This week I must get back on track with running. CM looms just under 9 weeks away. Yikes.

Thurs-Sun

Thursday: 5mi treadmill run. Very slow warmup, then progression up to mid-9mphs? 35:xx

Friday: Pottruck to 34th to Mantua to W Fairmount Park to Girard Bridge to River Trail to Pottruck. This is between 4-5mi.

Then, a fun weekend:

Saturday AM: out-and-back run to Columbia Bridge @ pace; around 7mi.

Saturday PM: biked SuperLoop, betweeen 13-14 flat miles.

Sunday PM: ran SuperLoop, same 13-14 miles. Accidentally ran through Philadelphia Women's Triathlon.

Sunday PM: 24mi bike ride with Chuck. Went through the park, past the Mann, through to Wynnewood, Ardmore, then into Upper Merion. Fun part by Old Gulph Rd, back by Conshy St Rd, Belmont bridge to Manayunk, then Kelly Drive.

Presently enjoying a quiet Sunday night; am ensconced in my lantern-lit room with tea and Hélène Grimaud on NPR (and cranking on a POPL submission).

Attacked!

Ran Sweetbriar, but not without incident. Just after coming through the tunnel of the Girard St bridge, I felt claws grabbing at my scalp. A small bird had swooped down and was picking at my head! I swooshed it off, but was quite surprised!

Other than that, an uneventful run. Ran through 4th festivities near the PMA, then back down 19th, and walked to TJs from Rittenhouse for good company and good burgers.

Tuesday = Monday

This whole week is going to be staggered. It's an odd week anyways -- worked from Chicago yesterday and flew back today, and tomorrow is the 4th (but no holiday for the Harmony guys).

Ran an easy 4mi at Pottruck, then lifted upper body and spun down on the bike. Looking forward to more miles on home turfs tomorrows.

Monday = Long Run

This whole weekend got staggered by Saturday's rest day. Ran long
today, about 1h45m. Not sure of distance, and don't have time to
GMap, but hoping it was around 12-13mi.

Catching up

Wednesday: I think I did 3mi (can't remember?) on the treadmill, then lifted legs.

Thursday: 5mi on the treadmill in iFartlek style (plus .2mph on each
song change). 35:15 or so? FULL Upper body circuit, biked.

Friday: 3mi, again iFartlek. 20:4x.

Saturday: rested.

Sunday: Ran this

9mi loop in Chicago.

Have not had any caffeine in two days. Yesterday was rough and I slept about 16hrs. Today is much better, and I'm thinking of trying to kick the habit (but maybe after POPL deadline).

Hills

Hill repeats on the W Fairmount Park hill between Sweet Briar and the Civil War Memorial. Probably 6+mi all told? Biked 10min at Pottruck to loosen up.

Sweetbriar

Did an easy, slow Monday run: Thornton Manor to W River Dr to Sweetbriar to 34th to Pottruck. Then lifted upper body.

NCRT

Did my long run with Tita and Ahmad at GP Falls SP. Went nice and slow, and covered about 11.2mi, according to trail markers. So 88min = about 8min/mile pace.

End of Week

I kind of overdid it with the lifting on Wednesday (good rule: don't lift as much as you used to lift whilst training for EUSA Championships!) and spent the rest of the week shuffling around and grimacing. Not good.

Thursday: ran for 25min, maybe 3.5mi + bike.

Friday: biked the Loop. I was debating taking a genuine rest day, but it felt good to get out and stretch.


Saturday: ran a slightly longer variant of the Dru Hill / Hampden / JHU / Charles St loop in Baltimore. The map is from December. I think I did an extra mile up Keswick near the top.

Pottruck

3mi run, full leg lifting circuit (hurts!) + bike.

PM: Pottruck Speedwork

I was not excited for this workout, but after the warmup, all my sluggishness melted away.

2mi in 14:15, then 4x800 in ~3:10 each, then 1mi cooldown.

Early Week

Monday: 4mi run + a short cooldown + upper body circuit.

Tuesday AM: Between 3-4mi early morning run. Speedwork to come...

SuperLoop

It's Sunday, which means running long. I was kind of stiff all weekend and wasn't really looking forward to this. But after the first 30 minutes it wasn't so bad. I believe this slightly-longer-than East Falls loop is ~13mi. Took me about 100 minutes, which is about right.

EndOfWeek

Friday: 3mi on the mill, full upper body circuit + bike.

Saturday: woke up and beat the heat by running W River Dr/Sweetbriar/Girard/Lemon Hill/Parkway/22nd. I think this is 6mi.

Pottruck x 3

A solid first week of training.

Tuesday: 35min tempo followed by leg lifting circuit + biking.

Wednesday: Easy 3mi followed by upper body lifting + biking.

Thursday: Easy 3mi followed by 3mi pace + biking.

Catching Up

Been to Chicago and back in the last week.

Tuesday: woke up at 6 and did a 4mi run before packing up Cara's stuff onto a Penske truck; also did an afternoon 3 at Pottruck.

Wednesday: was zonked after driving through the night to Michigan. DNR.

Thursday: Ran in Chicago from SurfHaus down to the LaSalle Bridge and back. I think this was 5-6 miles.

Friday: Antsy for a longer run. Did 9.25mi down to the Bean and back.

Saturday: Did a quick 4.5mi run around Belmont Harbor

Sunday: Ran long (1h20m), 11.3mi up to Foster Ave, then back down to Grant Park where met Cara and Julie for Chicago Blues Festival.

Monday: Legs were sore. Did an easy 2.5 on the treadmill, then 15min on the bike. Hoping for Strawberry Mansion tomorrow.

17 weeks to Chicago. Back on the Higdon program now.

Pottruck

Did a hair under 4mi on the treadmill, then a quick leg lifting circuit before rushing off to Pico de Gallo for dinner.

Arizona

Week of vacation, and not much running.

DNR Friday, Saturday.

6mi in Tempe on Sunday morning plus a long hike in Sedona.

DNR Monday.

4mi Tuesday AM.

4mi Wednesday AM, 6mi PM.

DNR Thursday.

DNR Friday, hiked up into Superstitions.

Tried to run on Saturday, but was zonked and had a splitting headache.

Back to Philly yesterday, rainy US Grant run in evening.

Pottruck

Another day at the gym. Warmed up with 2mi easy, then 6x800, then just a brief cool down. It feels good to be doing treadmill workouts again, especially on a Thursday. Off to Phoenix and the HEAT! We'll see if I can bear to run in it.

Pottruck

It's been too long. Did 5mi on the treadmill in just over 35, then did a brief leg and upper body lifting circuit.

W River Dr

Ran ~7mi up W River Dr and through W Fairmount Park. Back via the Civil War memorial, Girard, Lemon Hill. Started out feeling great, but did not finish that way--kind of limped it in. Still, miles.

Chestnut Hill

Biked out to Chestnut Hill through the (pretty!) Wissahickon. Made a quick jaunt up into Montgomery County, then came back by Ogontz / Broad St. About 28-29mi total. North Philly is rough!

SuperLoop

It's been too long since I really ran long. Chicago is only 20 weeks away so it's time to start ramping up. Finally ran more than the East Falls Loop. Only ~1.5mi more, but ... more. Ran the extension up to the start of hte Wissahickon at Ridge Ave. I think this is 13+. Got caught in a great downpour on the way home.

End-of-week

Friday: ran the Loop, but only Art Museum <-> Art Museum (squeezing in Art after 5 at PMA).

Saturday: essentially DNR. Started out for a leg stretcher, but felt really tight, and it was a nice day for a walk, so I did.

Mid-week

Wed: snuck in a short workout at Hutch before hitting shrew at Shakespeare Festival with C. Knee started acting up after only 2mi on treadmill, which suited me fine because those treadmills stare at a wall of mirrors. Did an upper body circuit.

Thurs: ran to the Columbia Bridge and back in a light rain just after sunset. A fantastic run.

Tuesday

Another busy day. Did 2mi up to Lemon Hill, then 6 x hill repeats, then a (slow!) cool-down run to home. Well tired.

Pottruck

Not a lot of time for a workout last night, rushing to Penn Med's graduation at the Kimmel.

Did 3mi on treadmill in 20:3x, then an easy 2mi (~15min) as a cooldown.

Weekend

Sat: morning bike ride with C and her dad up around the regatta, evening 5mi run (Girard St Bridge on the W River Dr).

Sun: 11mi (East Falls Loop).

Same again

Another jaunt around the Art Museum. Call it 3. Knee still hurts.

Hope to get a long run in this weekend.

Thursday

All my posts seem to be staggered. Just a quick run around the Art Museum. Maybe 3mi?

I secured a place for the Chicago marathon! October 7th!!

Pottruck, East Falls

Ran 4mi on the treadmill at Pottruck. 3.6 or so in 25min, jogged the rest as a cooldown.

(Then met C to bike out to BBQ in East Falls.)

Busy

Monday: At IBM PL Day up in Westchester and so DNR.

Tuesday: W River Dr / Montgomery / Girard / Lemon Hill loop. I think this is well over 7 (maybe 8?) miles?

Weekend

Friday: sunset ride to Manayunk with a couple of jaunts up the hill to Ridge Ave.

Saturday: easy ride to the Linc to get my BSR bib... but on the way home, after stopping at Reading to pick up supplies for a big pasta meal for some other runners, I hit a hole on Spruce St and went over the handlebars. Helmet saved me, but scraped my face, shoulder, and knee up and bent my wheel.

I was still planning to race, but woke up feeling more swollen and the bruises hurt. Also didn't sleep much because Mom and Cara called me at 2hr intervals to make sure I was still lucid and didn't have bleeding in my head.

Sunday: skipped the race, obviously, but got out for a sunset run to John B Kelly. Beautiful weather, 7mi+, I just wish I could have run them on Broad Street 12 hours earlier.

Sweetbriar

Did this loop, about 5.5mi.

I am getting pretty excited for Sunday's race.

Mon -> Weds

Mon: Girard St on the W R Drive. Should be 5+?

Tues: Didn't head out until 10.30pm and straight into a huge t-storm rolling in. Turned around just before the Art Museum. Not sure of distance: more than 2?

Wed: Pottrock <-> East Falls Loop. I think this is 11 miles.

Weekend

Saturday: Loop (11-ish?)
Sunday: Sweetbriar (5-ish; would have been 6, but my legs were absolutely aching and I walked in from Market St).

Pottruck

4.5mi on the mill: warmup, intervals in the middle, 1.5mi to cool down.

Mid-week

Wednesday: 4mi on the treadmill

Thursday: Columbia Bridge (so 7ish?)

US Grant

Another warm, crowded day on Kelly Dr. Squeezed in a run up to US Grant and back before biking down to CBP for the Phillies / Nats game. Somewhere between 40-45min.

Catching up

Was in NYC of the weekend with C, and did not run. Saturday was in Brooklyn and still feeling sore from Thursday and Friday. Started out running over to Hakon's in Fort Greene, but then decided to turn it into a walk. Walked back via Prospect Park and Lolo's old apartment.

Sunday was in Dobbs Ferry and didn't have time to squeeze anything in while a houseguest.

Monday, back in Philly, ran Strawberry Mansion (9ish?)

Conshy

Biked out to the Conshy REI (what up, the right Ben Katz!) to get my new hiking boots. About 35mi total. It was a nice ride--first warm day of spring--but my bad bike luck this week continued. On two nights this week I went for late night rides with C, only to get a flat (or bust my tire off the rim). Tonight, just as I was coming down the hill on Walnut into 33rd, my %#$!ing CHAIN broke! Sheesh.

Off to NYC tomorrow; hope to get a couple of good Brooklyn runs in.

Multi-Blog

Tuesday: 5mi on the treadmill
Wednesday: IM volleyball playoffs (lost), 5k on the treadmill (21:1x), late nite bike ride with C.
Thursday: ran the Loop home <-> home, about 1h20m.

Still running, kinda

Friday: did 5mi on the treadmill.

Saturday: in Chicago, did 5k on the treadmill (21:1x)

Sunday: in Chicago, ran for somewhere between 45min and 1hr along Lake Michigan

Monday: zonked, DNR

Wednesday, Thursday

W: Woke up at 4.30am to see C off to the airport. Exhausted by day's end, so just 3.5mi on the mill.

R (using Williams registrar notation): Feeling better, but weather was yicky. 25min on the treadmill to warmup, then 40min (Pottruck to 34th through Mantua, around Zoological St, across Girard St bridge, down Lemon Hill, back on river trail to Chestnut St).

Sweetbriar Loop

Ugh. Legs did not feel great today. Ran the Sweetbriar loop from 34th & Walnut. 37 minutes.

Easter in Baltimore

Whew! Least runningest span in a LONG time. DNR Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Finally got out for a 6-7 miler in Baltimore (Maybe house, around reservoir, down to Inner Harbor, back up Light/St Paul). Was chomping at the bit and ran the Loop to/from Pottruck on Monday back in Philly.

Pottruck

Late night for the Harmony guys, so I didn't get to Pottruck until around 10.30. Ran 5mi in 35:2x, then did a 3min jog to cool down.

W Fairmount Park

I love this loop. Did the shorter version, cutting in at Sweetbriar to get back to Hutch. Played VB with HammeRED, and sucked, then ran the last ~.75mi home. Probably up around 6mi total?

W Fairmount Park

Absolutely beautiful today. Ran a 7.3mi loop along W River Dr, then up through W Fairmount Park. Back through Mantua/Powelton Village.

Weekend

Saturday: Pigs played in Wharton tournament. We didn't do so well (knocked out in pool play). Had a tough pool--Harvard and Wharton A--and the games were close, but we should have done better than that. Argh.

Sunday: Ran 4mi around Art Museum. This will be a low-mileage week, I think, with paper writing...

Big catchup

Wow. I have fallen off the blogging.

Wednesday: ran 4mi--around the Art Museum--with strides on the return.

Thursday: hit some vbs, for about 20min before being kicked off by the Festival Latino. Sigh.

Friday: Did a late tuneup workout at Pottruck. Feeling sluggish and lazy and wanting to do something depleting, but knowing that would be stupid with tomorrow's tourney. So, just 1.5mi warmup run, then some jumprope and blockjumps. Hope I am nice and fresh and antsy tomorrow.

More catching up

Monday: did a run on W River Dr and back by the zoo and down 34th St. I think it was about 6mi. Biked 15min to stretch out the legs.

Tuesday: played vb @ Hutch, ran around the Art Museum, some strides at the end.

Loop

Catching up...

Friday: Ran 2.5mi on the 'mill, lifted full upper body circuit.

Saturday: Ran a fast 6.5mi loop on the river.

Sunday: Ran THE Loop at dusk.

Conshy

And on the rest day... he cycled. 28mi: through W Fairmont Park then out Bryn Mawr Ave to (hilly-ish!) Conshy St Rd to W Conshy. Crossed the river and came back via the path through Rox/Manayunk, then down Kelly Dr to Locust St. Nice break from the pounding of running.

NewLoop®

Ran a new version of the East Falls Loop: up 34th St, past the zoo, the gates with PA civil war generals, behind Memorial Hall and down to the river, then a regular W River Dr -> Kelly Dr loop, returning to Pottruck on Chestnut. 11mi, around 1h20m.

Columbia Bridge, Spin

Ran Pottruck <-> Columbia Bridge on the W River Dr side. There was a swirling wind the whole way, especially coming through the bridges. Ran a 6:20 measured mile from the 6.75 -> 7.75 markers on the way home, but otherwise the pace was easy--total time was around a few ticks under an hour.

Cooled down with a 10min spin on the stationary bike at Pottruck.

Hutch + Pottruck

Played ~90min of vb with Wharton and a few Pigs. It's so sluggish. Not too excited about vb currently.

Went to Pottruck after work for a 4mi run on the 'mill. Nothing special (29 min?)

Sunday

Ran a slushy East Falls Loop, or rather out-and-back (the W River Dr path was not powed). Except for scattered bits of muck on the ground, it was actually a nice day for it: sunny, blue skies and mid-40s; I didn't even wear a hat. The way back in was wind-aided, and therefore much faster than the out.

Saturday

Pottruck: 5mi on the treadmill in 34:4x, although I suspect that the thing was miscalibrated (or maybe I was just bouncy--got two new pairs of Asics 2110s on deep discount last week and they feel great). Then did 10min on the stepper, reluctantly. I hate that thing, but I must do something to get some vertical back for this volleyball shindig at the end of the month.

Friday

It was admitted student visit day, so I was swamped with meetings / presentations all day. Snuck out for a 3mi run at 3pm and another at 5pm. The first was nothing special, just miles; the second was a little quicker: mile splits of 7:06, 6:41, 6:19 for 20:06. Oh to be fast.

Thursday

3mi treadmile run in 20:4x, 15min stationary bike intervals; volleyball with Pigs/BEasts/HammeRED @ Hutch.

Pottruck

4mi on the treadmill, around 29min. That is all.

Die ZauberfLöop

Ran ye olde East Falls loop, with Mozart in my ears. My highlights CD gets me from home to the Art Museum, leaving an Overture, and Der Vogelfänger to bring it home down 22nd.

Beautiful day for running, I kind of feel like heading out for a short spin on the bike.

Catch Up

Yesterday afternoon got to do a 12mi spin with CDeux through Fairmont Park. Caught the tail end of the Philly Phlyer bike race around Memorial Hall and saw the last of the wintry trees.

Today: another run up to the Girard St bridge, this time from Levine over to the Kelly Dr side. Then back to Hutch and VB with Chris, Matt, Jen. Trying to get back in shape for Pigs reunion / Wharton tourney at the end of the month.

Girard Ave

Oy. Legs feel like lead today. Started out planning to Loop it again, then revised to Strawberry Mansion, then decided to turn around at the first post-museum bridge. Not disappointed though, and this is the beauty of running for fun vs. training, had a nice run, beautiful weather, got to catch a bit of the St. Patrick's Day parade on the Ben Franklin coming home.

KimmelLoop ®

Ran the E Falls loop, then back down the B Franklin Pkwy to City Hall and down to the Kimmel Center to swap vouchers for orchestra tix. Miles. Hooray.

Burbs

Friday afternoon was beautiful, so went for a 30mi spin out to the main line burbs. Nice hills, but it would have been nice to make it back before dark.

Pottruck

30min run=4.2mi, 30min bike=16.5 virtual miles.

Pottruck 10K

Did 10K on the treadmill in 43:24, which, coincidentally, is exactly 7min pace. Damn you recalibrated treadmills! I thought I was getting faster.

Spring Break!

And 27 freaking degrees in Philly. Woo.

Stubbed my toe pretty bad wandering around downstairs to fetch water for CDeux in the early morning, and wasn't sure I'd be able to run. It was all swollen when I pulled my running shoes on, but managed 25min on the mill. Then lifted legs (squats, hamstrings, curls, calfs). Tried to do lunges, but the curling of my toe was too painful. Then did 20min on the bike to spin down. Maybe I'll run long tomorrow.

Back to the gym...

Biking and cycling go hand in hand: my legs were not happy after yesterday's ride, but felt fine as soon as I hopped on the treadmill. Did 5mi in 35:0x, then did a full upper body lifting circuit.

Norristown

Went for an afternoon bike ride on the river path. Turned around at Norristown when the stiff headwind and snow blowing in my eyes made it ridiculous to continue. The ride home, aided by a tailwind, was significantly faster. Don't know the exact time, but a couple of hours and change, 38mi total.

Loop

Yesterday: rested, ate.

Today: Ran the East Falls Loop, starting from FitzH2O and finishing near City Hall. Rough estimate is 10-11mi, no idea of time.

Pottruck

It would have been a great day to run outside--today is one of those days that makes you realize that spring is just around the corner---but my research meeting lasted almost three hours. So, instead, I found myself at Pottruck. I don't know what came over me, but I was ravenously hungry around lunchtime, then had an afternoon snack, and cookies at DBGroup; which is to say that I was well-fueled. Nine miles on the hampster wheel in 63:xx (they've recalibrated the treadmills so they are back to a normal incline, and a bit harder, so these numbers feel more realistic.) Which means that my BSR goal should be within reach; just have to remember to eat enough cookies.

Roxborough

You thought I was going to write 'Pottruck' eh? Beautiful day today, and I wanted to take an off day from running (#7 of '07, but who's counting?) so I pedaled up the river path past Manayunk again. It's really a shame: you have to go so far to get to the interesting parts and with only an hour or so, you spend most of the time coming and going. Still, nice to get a spin in and did a few nice hills (/a wall)...

Evening 5

An identical, bookend workout to close out the day: 5mi, 35:xx, .3mi cooldown.

Morning 5

Nice, easy 5mi run to start the day with: 35:2x, .3mi cooldown.

Oh. And my identity has been stolen--someone %#!@ed with my checking account (took out a little money, then put it back--a test?--then today a large withdrawal). Freaking fantastic.

Mixing it up

5mi @ Pottruck, but with a different formula: faster-than-usual 2mi warmup (13:4x), then 3x1600s at ~6:20 average pace. Not really enough reps to make a serious workout, but wanted to do something different.

Pottruck

Getting my money's worth from my gym membership this winter... 8.5mi in 61min. This is what counts as a long run these days--it's just hard for me to do longer than an hour staring at a wall of TVs, and I've gone soft and don't like running when it's this cold out. I will have to build up to 13-15 again before BSR if I'm going to race well; my only consolations are that my weekly mileage is still up around 40, and it's feeling easy. So hopefully I'm keeping a 'base' of some kind to train against.

Pottruck

yet again. 4.4mi in 30min, 20min bike intervals.

Pottruck 8

8mi in 56:02. First 30min were slow (7:24 pace) so last 26 were fast. 5min jogging to cool down.

Pottruck

Legs still very stiff (from lifting?) so I took another easy day: ran 4mi in 27:2x, then biked the big hill for 20min.

US Grant

Winter's over bitches. Did a sunset run up to US Grant statue and back around the Art Museum and down 22nd. You know those days when your legs just have boundless energy and you feel like you could run forever? Today: not one of those days. Mine felt like lead, and every stride was an effort. It got a little better after the first few miles, but I was glad to do a shorter run.

Pottruck again

So I could have run outside today, but I got scared off by the rain forecast. Then my iPod died. Should have run outside. 8.5mi in 60min, though it was on the easy treadmill, so I'm not sure I believe it. Then a three-element leg lift circuit.

Pottruck

Back to the gym. Last day of real winter, so I hope to be back out on the trail soon (though the next few days call for rain). 10km in 44:xx, then biked 20min, then lifted upper body. I was surprisingly sore after yesterday's run. Weird.

Years ago, during a phase in which hot dogs formed a significant part of my diet, Xtie suggested that I try 'The Good Dog'. We took them on a camping trip and, yeah, compared to the real thing (Hebrew National, with plenty of mustard and kraut, naturally) they tasted like rubber. So either I've been quasi-veggie for long enough now, or this stuff is different, but 'The Good Ground'--basically nicely T'd TVP--is awesome! Captain No Fun approves. Made a big pot of mushroom/zuke/broccoli/kidney bean chilli tonight (and cornbread: ain't nothin' wrong with that!) with Good Ground and it was well... good! I kind of feel like dropping the quasi-qualifier from the above and going 100% pesco-veggie. I realized the other day that the only meat I ever eat is the occasional pollo (and that, mostly, from what I rescued from Lola's freezer last November and carted down to Philly; I'm working my way through it very slowly).

BaltiLoop

Yesterday: didn't run, just slept.

Today: spent the first part of the day reading and putting off a run, but didn't want two DNRs in a row. As I expected, once I got out it felt great. Ran up to Dru Hill, intending to do the hilly road in the back, but the reservoir track was all icy. So I turned around and ran down to Mount Vernon instead, then on to the Inner Harbor, then Fells Point, then back up Broadway past JHU's hospital, and back to Bolton Hill via Mount Vernon. Didn't measure time or distance, but probably something around 7mi?

Pottruck

Ran a 5k (20:3x) then biked for 15min. Going on ~3hrs sleep, so just happy to get anything in.

Pottruck, Vintage Vélo

Another day at the gym, another 10k. 44min-ish?

After I biked through slush up to Powelton Village to collect this vélo fragment:

Going to build it up, perhaps for the girl who likes orange.

Pottruck

The track boys invaded the gym today for their workouts. Something about running next to dudes doing 10mph for their warmup and 11-12mph for the rest makes one want to run fast. So today was a little faster and shorter than I intended: 5mi in just under 34:00, then biked 'Kilimanjaro'® for 20min. Kind of in a rut with this workout (35ish run, 20ish bike) but not fretting too much. Nothing important on the horizon, and there will be a long spring for hard training.

Pottruck

Ran for 33min, then treadmill died. Weird. Finished up 5mi, then biked for 20.

Recovery Run

...or something. I actually felt great today, and would have gone longer except for time constraints and trying to get back into the rhythm of last fall (long Sunday, short Monday, kinda-long Tuesday, etc.) Ran this little 4.5mi loop (measured because I don't know distances from the gym) from Pottruck up around the PMA and back. Then did 20min on the stationary bike. Beautiful weather today; I didn't even wear a hat or gloves.

Super-Manayunk-Loop®

Another beautiful cold but not too cold day on the river. Ran the Loop, then continued on down to Ridge Ave, and then to Main St Manayunk. Nice easy pace, maybe 13-14mi all together?

Pottruck

In which I eliminate the faulty treadmill hypothesis (or there are two). Felt a little stiff when I woke up this morning, but by afternoon it was that perfect just-sore feeling. Hopped on the mill and did an easy warmup, then hit the pace arrow every few minutes to finish 4.42mi in 30min. Then lifted upper body.

Strawberry Mansion

It was a beautiful afternoon and---relatively speaking---warm. So I headed out from Pottruck for a run on the river. I didn't really know how far I wanted to go, but after I got up above Boathouse row, I saw a pack of rowers out for a training run up ahead (the river is frozen!) and decided to go until I caught them, which I did around Girard. Then it felt good so went up to US Grant, then Columbia, then Strawberry Mansion. Considered Loop'ing it, but remembered NY resolution #4 and 'art after 5' plans with CDeux so turned around there and huffed back to campus. It was great to be outside, and the blue sky and orange setting sun were reflecting off the frozen river making one feel surrounded by sky. Down with treadmills!

Down day

Squeezed in a quick run: 3mi, then 10min spindown. Definitely an easy day... looking forward to getting out on the river this weekend.

Pottruck

A quick 5mi: 33:2x! And the first 2mi were in 14:08, which means last 3mi were around 19:15? (I'm actually not really believing these numbers; I did feel great, and the display said I was running above 9.2mph-10.4mph, but I think either the speed or the incline of the 'mill must have been miscalibrated. I'm just not that fast.)

10k

Ran 10km (yeah, yeah, 6.2) in 44:20 at Pottruck. Same formula as always: slow, 20min warmup, then ramping up...

TreadLoop

Morning: 60min on the 'mill for 8.4mi. Started the first 40min at 8.1mph (so 7.24 pace I think?) then kicked it up in the last 1/3. Running "distance" (by which I mean anything more than 30min) indoors takes such patience. I always want to rachet it up too quickly.

Evening: 2.5mi on the 'mill, then leg lifting circuit.

Pottruck

Dammit I wish it weren't so cold out. CDeux made a big pot of penne arrabiata last night, and I filled up expecting to get out for the loop or more today. But I woke up cold and just went to Pottruck instead. Started with a slow warmup then did a fast 2mi to reach 5mi in an OK time (35:30 or something?), then full upper body circuit, then one more mile to cool down. This week doesn't look much better; the projected highs are 19, 22, 29, 29, and 32.

Biking!!

It's a freezing, but beautiful day. I thought a break from running might be in order, so I bundled up, pumped up the tyres on Shadowfax, and head out north of the city. Only went a little beyond Roxborough---my feet would not have lasted much longer---but at least got to climb a few little hills. A little over an hour, 23mi according to CatEye.

End of Week

So, in the end, I do get my comeuppance. The last few days of this week I've just felt lethargic. I brought cold weather gear to run outdoors today, but it started to pour when I left Van Pelt so I just did 3 on the 'mill and a 20min spindown at Pottruck. My mind is itching to do a long run---when was my last one?---but my head wants to sleep. Hoping for a window of sunshine this weekend.

Speedwork

2mi fairly quick warmup (< 7min pace), then 4x800 at 6:15 down to 6:00 pace. Need to do many more of these to reach my 5k goal and more than 4 reps (I think once I get comfortable running 6:30 pace for 4-5, pushing 6:15 for 3.1 will be reasonable). But today I was exhausted---was up at 5.30 to catch the train, and spent the day hacking on PADS @ Princeton (I hate NJTransit)--- and I haven't done any speedwork in a while, so I'm going to proclaim success. But next week, don't let me get away with fewer than 6.

Pottruck

Shorter workout today: 3.5mi in 24min, 20min spindown.

Pottruck

Did a hard-ish workout despite my earlier post. 6mi in 43:xx, 20min spindown, leg lifting circuit. Will see what tomorrow brings.

Had a song picked out, but can't remember at this late hour...

Comeuppance

I feel a little stiff today. Heh.

Dude, where's my pain?

Seriously, this is ridiculous: the running feels so good right now. I don't want to jinx it, but I feel like I can do a good workout everyday and everything is easy. I suppose I am running significantly fewer miles than in the summer/fall, but I've also been taking fewer off/easy days.

Today: another 4.33 in 30min. Started out at 7:18 pace and sweat maybe 3 drops in the first 15min. Then went up to 6:45 pace, 6:30 6:15, and ended the last .5mi at 6:05. Maybe I just had an easy treadmill, or maybe I should do more than a 1.0 incline? Or maybe just push? Finished with a 15min spindown.

Today's song comes from Stevie! TaraGirl (aka assistant to the associate dean) closed with this (I think it was this?) at her concert on Saturday. The lyrics are cheesy, but the first few bars have me doing a little dance in my room...

For once in my life I have someone who needs me
Someone Ive needed so long
For once, unafraid, I can go where life leads me
And somehow I know Ill be strong

The Loop

Relived the summer Sunday routine with Pavol (Blitzer would have come, but e just got in on a red-eye this morning). Beautiful gray wintry running day; just a little soft flurry of snow to make things interesting.

Running has felt like bouncing off clouds these past few days. Maybe just the fancy new Wigwam socks I bought at Pottruck earlier this week? ...Back up above 45mi this week.

Pottruck

Good running day. Warmed up with 30min at 8.0mph, then went up the ladder for the last 3, finishing my 7mi in just over 50 minutes! Made up the rest of my upper body lift upstairs.

Pottruck

3mi in 20:3x, lifted upper body.

Ugh. Strawberry Mansion

Ran to my favorite bridge, but it weren't pretty. If I learned one thing in Grenoble, it was that peanuts, tea, and running don't mix. The first two create some kind of nasty acid that, when combined with the third, equals misery. So what did I do today? Came home from work, wanted to warm up and load up before a long-ish run, and ate peanuts and drank chai. Baaad idea. I was in serious pain during the ~4-7th miles. But then it cleared up around the Columbia Bridge and I felt better for the segment around the museum and down 22nd. Maybe tomorrow's an off day.

Pottruck

Ran hard for 30min: started at 7:20 pace, and went up the ladder all the way to 6:00 pace (for the last ~1min). Something like 4.3mi total. Biked 10min to cool down, then lifted upper body. I just don't have the patience to do any distance indoors. I can't imagine 14-15mi again on a *%$^!ing treadmill.

Then (Clare, you'll be the only one to be able to decode this part so I'll write it as if to you) biked to Whole Foods (whole paycheck) to get red lentils for dinner; made a variation on my friend Johanna's vegan lentil/squash curried "soup" (really a gulash; similar to the one Tita did over Christmas), THE BREAD (1/3 whole wheat... I want to try the walnut version you've been doing; please send recipe?), and orange/almond/avocado salad we did while you were here. CDeux ate more of the gulash than me, and took half home, so (cue Dimitris voice) "it was... OK". No shaved truffle though; seems more like a breakfast thing (plus, with no shaver in the kitchen, it's hardly worth finding fresh truffle eh?).

Have been filling my ears with Maria Muldaur's great, twangy cover of this Dylan song:

Clouds so swift
Rain wont lift
Gate wont close
And the railing's froze
I'll get your mind off the wintertime
'Cause we ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrows the day that
My man's comin' home
Oh, we gonna fly
Down into the easy chair!

Need to find some other favorite songs to mix in, or I'm going to kill it...

Pottruck

Evening session at the gym: 3mi fast in 20:10, then lifted legs.

Snowy Run

Still waking up early... waited for the sun to come out, then headed out for a snowy river run. It's frickin' freezing out there! Stopping to talk to Colin (walking Merlin) at the banks didn't help my frozen hands. Turned back at the Kelly Dr intersection, then came down 19th through Rittenhouse, and back to South and 22nd. Should be a little more than 4mi.

Someday I'm gonna leave this dirty little town,
Where the talk is cheap on the dirty little streets,
And the trees are dying underneath a sky that's purple and brown.

Folks round here say I'll never go,
But there's something about me that they don't know.
I've already left this place in my mind,
Till my body goes, it's just a matter of time.

Back to Pottruck

Woke up to a city covered in snow! Was considering bundling up for another river run, but was freezing, and so worked from home instead. Hit Pottruck late and ran 6mi going from an easy 8.2mph up the ladder in .1mph increments every mile, for 43:00 on the nose, then biked a single "Cascade®" to cool down, about 9mi.

It's weird: when you don't run, "the burn" is gone, and you feel like your training is going to go to shit, but a down week (one where you cram yourself with multiple pains aux raisins every morning, hit every cheese course after dinner, and go for the tartiflette, the croziflette, etc. at dinner time) every now and again appears to actually be beneficial.

Catching Up + Back On (the) Track

My week in Nice was my least runningest in a long time; like, probably in a year. I may not have even broken 25 miles, and that's with an 18mi head start from Sunday/Monday. DNR on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday (went to Nice-Rennes Pro-A volleyball match instead!) Touched down this afternoon at a chilly PHL, and was lycra'd up and on the trail within an hour of reaching Thornton Manor. Not the only crazy out in sub 25 degree weather either. Did a loop up to Columbia Bridge and ending at TJ's, so something between 6-7mi.

Encore une fois

Yesterday I walked up to the museums, but didn't run. The Chagall museum was small but nice: a few dozen large pieces in a space that he designed. The Musée Matisse, unfortunately, was closed. Boo. Next time.

Today I snuck in a run along the Promenade in between the last session and dinner. A little longer than last time, around 35min? Not sure exactly. Am looking forward to being back in Philly and having time to do some long runs.

Promenade des Anglais

Did a shitty pre-sunrise run along the Promenade des Anglais, the long boardwalk that runs along the beach in Nice. Only lasted about 25min, so conservatively, 3mi? I would have liked to go longer, but the trip here was one of the most disorienting trans-Atlantic journeys I've taken in a long time, and both my sleeping and eating schedules are totally out of whack (this used to be old hat for me, shuttling back and forth to London). After my long run on Sunday "The Burn", as Clare calls it, was in full effect, and dinner with Cara (no, not that Cara; more like another C: both are whipsmart, English-majoring, wallet-losing Ephs), lunch with Christoforos (yes, that Christoforos! In the country for a physics conference and to visit Emma friends), and multi-meals on Air France (Delta ticket, Air France flight; take that Fly America Act!) only put a small dent in my appetite. Finally got some food in Nice on Tuesday afternoon, but a late night hacking slides on Sunday plus a screaming baby on the flight led to me crashing sans diner yesterday evening. So I'm chalking up the lack of energy to a lack of sleep and calories. POPL is great; I'm all rah-rah research again.

Dashing off to PHL

...I like to fly tired. Quick trip to Pottruck, 3mi in 20:5x, 5min spin down. Allons-y!

SuperLoop®

Ran the East Falls loop, with an extension up to Ridge Ave and into the Wissahickon Valley Park. I turned around after the second hill but before the parking lot at the trailhead for Forbidden Drive. That's 15mi, so call this one more than 14mi? Today felt so much better than yesterday. Back to basics: eat lots of carbs, get a good night's rest, and, what do you know, the running will be easy (...err until I got to the boathouses up above Columbia Bridge on the Kelly Drive side; the last 4ish miles were a bit of work).

Evidently I'm not the only nut who still thinks Sundays are for running. Must have seen 10 people wearing their race shirts from November. I'm still a gear phobe. I'll stick to my cotton t-shirt (and, OK, the one nice technical ziptop I own) thank you.

US Grant: Run, then Cut.

Finally got outside for a morning run. Felt like crap though. Didn't eat a real dinner after TGIF last night, and felt like I had nothing in the tank on the 2nd half. Bailed out at Market St. So call it 5mi.

Pottruck

Yick. Five gym trips in five days this week. Must get outdoors! 3mi downstairs, went up to get a bike, but they were all taken, so just ran 1mi more. Warmer weather this weekend. Hoping for longer runs on the river if the rain holds.

P'ruck

Didn't sleep much last night as I was hacking slides for talk (Tikz/Pgf is the coolest! It produces beeee-eau-ti-ful graphics. But also a huge time sink). Got a few hours this morning. Strangely, on days when I haven't slept, I seem to have more energy late in the day. Anyways, another easy day: 3mi, fast (or, more like I was doing last year around this time); biked 11mi in 20min. Are 'Cascades' easier than 'Foothills'?

The beater has a flat, so I got to ride 'Shadowfax' (Clare's dubbing) and new helmet to West Philly today. An already-short ride over the bridge was even shorter. Want to ride it eeeevery day.

Pottruck

Another crowded day at the gym. Legs were killing me today (lifting +2 days always hurts) so took an easy day: 3mi in 21:40, then did another half-assed upper-body lift, then did 20min spin on the bike. Stressed about PLAN-X talk...

East Falls, Pottruck

See, now this is why I never did my leg lifting workouts---it's hard to motivate the next day when your muscles are all stiff! But my approach---skipping them---is not the solution. Better to just do them and eventually they'll stop hurting so much.

Unlike last semester, Tuesdays are my empty day, and I plan to work from CC if I can avoid getting sucked onto campus for faculty hiring talks, colloquia, etc. Today I woke up @ 7, got the TOPLAS final version done in the morning, hacked on PLAN-X slides a bit until lunch, took a nap, and set out from home for East Falls around 4.30. Kept the pace easy; my legs were whining until around the Girard St bridge. The middle half was better, and the last bit from US Grant to 36th & Walnut almost felt good. Finished with a quick upper body circuit (bench, row, raises) at Pottruck.

Still not sure what to do with myself sans programme de formation. So far I've been trying to organize each week with one each of a long run (~90 minutes+), a sort-of long run (7+ miles), and a hard day or speedwork, three whatever-I-feel like days, and a day of rest or cross-training. So basically just doing the easy weeks in the middle of marathon training. But it's getting monotonous. Maybe the bike and pool are the solutions.

Pottruck

First day of the semester, and the gym is a %$&!ing mess with all the undergrads back. Ran 5mi in 35:16, then spun down for 8 on the bike (in a sweltering room that must have been 75+ degrees!), then lifted legs: squats, extensions, hamstrings, abductors, lunges.

Finally discovered the provenence of the honky tonk song that I like so much from my shuffle: Chris Isaak's 'I want your love'. The man can sing.

First Love

I will always love running in this fair city, even when my mouth still tastes like whiskey. Ran this loop: Mount Auburn to Brattle to Fayerwether to Huron, Fresh Pond loop, back to Mem Drive, over the bridge near the Cambridge Rowing club, up to the Weeks footbridge, back behind Dunster back to V's place on Banks Street. About 7mi in 50min if my watch and GMap Pedometer are to be believed (I'm skeptical; it seems a little fast--I did kick it up for the Fresh Pond bit, but did the rest at a comfortable pace, which for me is usually a tad slower than 7:30.)